Bicornuate / heart shaped uterus anyone?

[Bibulus]

If you have a bicornuate uterus, has it affected you at all?

Have recently found out I have a bicornuate. I don't think it was spotted in my 1st pregnancy which ended in em/cs after failure to progress.

I've read a lot of scary stuff about bicornuate uteruses (the internet is great for shit-your-pants medical misinformation isn't it). Although all my gynae said was that it could result in higher risk of breech or transverse position. Elsewhere I've read that it might mean the mother is incapable of pushing the baby out.

Since I am now 29wks and am trying to decide whether to attempt VBAC or have el/cs, I'm wondering what other women in my position have experienced. Have you laboured with a bicornuate? how did it go?

[millyv]

Hi!

I was told years ago after a MC at 6 weeks that I had a bicornate uterus and that I'd fine it hard to go full term/ baby would be breech if in fact I did manage to get pregnant etc... and that if and when I fall pregnant I had to tell the MW about it and have an early scan.

I left the hospital in floods of tears and phoned my mum. She calmed me down, apparently she was told the same thing when she was younger but managed to have both me and my brother with no problems - apart from the fact I was breech - she had 2 VB's and had not suffered any MC's whilst trying so I put it to the back of my mind.

It took my DH and I 6 months to get pregnant and I'm currently 30 weeks with no problems at all, I have been consultant led throughout but they seem to be very disinterested in me and the problems with my uterus. I had an appointment with them last week, all they did was take bloods from me and booked my next appointment for after my due date?!?!

I'm not even considering it to be a problem to be honest with you, I've ruled out a HB, but I wouldn't have wanted to have one anyway so I'll be in the safest place if there are any complications.

Hope it helps? x

[seenbutnotheard]

Hi there

Firstly, congratulations on your pg

I have a bicornuate uterus and have had two successful vaginal deliveries.

I was told that my babies were more likely to be breech if they did not turn early enough as there would eventually be less room than normal. dd turned really early and ds turned about 3 days before I had him (at 37 weeks)

It was reccommended that I have a managed third stage, as my consultant was more worried about bleeding and retained placenta. Although I was not keen on this, I followed the advice and all went well.

dd was a water birth at hospital
ds was born at home

No idea if the shape of my uterus had anything to do with length of labour - dd was four hours and ds less than 3

[elizaregina]

Hi, I have just found out too - that I have one. I did not know with first pregancy and all was absoluty fine, she was breech but she turned well before.

However I did retain huge clots of placenta.

I only found out as had to have an ealry scan this time and scanner casually mentioned it....I then casually mentioned it to midwife who said nothing!!!

I too googled and found out lots of scary stuff.

For me perhaps the only prob was placenta, second time round I wonder if things are looser.....i also have PCOS and its taken me over two years to fall pregnant again....and I read that B uterus can also affect fertility.

I am wanting an ELC this time round anyway - i know of at least three women who have collasped after birth - a few days after of blood poisning , heomragge, life support etc because of plaencta left in....it was something I was afraid of first time round but i thought she pretty thouroughly checked my placenta...i didnt relaise what it was when it came out.

good luck and if didnt affect first one hopefully all well this time, at least we know!! I am certianly going ot make sure no placenta left in this time if i can...

[elizaregina]

Of course it depends how pronounced your uterus is too.

[VickityBoo]

I have one! Delivered first baby at 37 weeks by c section as she was breech, she's fine. Now on 2nd and would like to try for VBAC but yes, there's more chance of baby opting to settle in a breech position.

There are varying severities but it's a very very common thing.

[Bibulus]

Hey, thanks for all your replies. Hmm maybe I will give the VBAC option a go and see how I get on - depending what position she's in by that time anyway.

At the moment she is in a head down sideways position and changes side day to day. It feels as though she doesn't have enough room to get into a straight position. Apparently my bicornuate is quite pronounced - although it didn't stop me carrying her to 38wks and almost, almost managing vaginal delivery....

It's good to hear how other women have managed - thanks :)

[pickledpeppers]

I've got a bicornate uterus but MRI scan found it to be almost divided into 2 chambers. I found this out after having a hysteroscopy for possible fibroids to be checked out. Turned out I didn't have fibroids at all. I was told it's quite rare to have uterus like this, I'm more inclined to think that's because it goes undiscovered/undiagnosed as some of the above ladies have only known about it after having a previous pregnancy.

I'm currently 36+3 weeks with 1st pregnancy. I am having shared care but the consultants have really implied that with pregnancy in an abnormal uterus it's very much a case of 'what will be will be'. Baby has been head down and back to back for several weeks now. I've been told to expect a normal delivery but there is a possibility of having a retained placenta due to shape of uterus and it may need to be manually removed . throughout pregnancy I've been concerned about baby having enough room to grow but I've been reassured that the uterus stretches and scans have shown that baby
is average size etc.
I'm very nervous about the birth but I guess that's the same with everyone, I don't think I'm more likely to have to have an emcs than anyone else, but I've found it interesting reading this thread though as I'm not convinced that uterine abnormalities are as rare as doctors make out.

[elizaregina]

Does anyone know what it entails to have the placenta manually removed? I read somewhere else some women have to have some sort of anthesthetic and taken to theatre?

[VickityBoo]

pickled ooh anytime now

I know someone who recently was taken to theatre to have the placenta removed. Not sure of much else I'm afraid.

[pickledpeppers]

Consultant told me if placenta is retained they will anaesthesise the area and someone will get their hand in and sort of scrape it away if parts of it remain attached to uterus wall. If it's not attached they'll pull it out by the cord. It sounds bloody horrific, not sure if it's done in theatre or not but they did say that it's not done under general anaesthetic.

[VickityBoo]

If it helps, the person I know who had it manually removed joined us a few days later for a child's play date and didn't seem too immobile or in pain - just as you'd normally expect for a lady who recently gave birth!

[pickledpeppers]

Thanks Vickity that's reassuring

[millyv]

A friend had to have her placenta helped as although she was having a managed third stage the MW suggested after a long wait they try and pull the cord to help it along, the cord snapped and so there were 2 options: for the MW to put her hand up and try another pull or to transfer to hospital to have it surgically removed - not sure what that meant but friend opted for the MW and hand - it all came away. x

[millyv]

oh and she had a very smooth labour but did use G&A for the placenta bit, she was fine movement wise after it and is back in her very skinny jeans 1 month on - we are all very jealous! x

[BornSicky]

I have one too. it was discovered at my 20 week scan (like poster above), but they didn't even bother noting it. said it wasn't a problem. I mentioned it to the hospital MWs and they too didn't see concerned.

However, I had quite a traumatic labour and when I mentioned it to the consultant, they were very diligent in investigating and taking it into consideration with my labour treatment and care. I'm so glad I said something, as it did affect my labour ( I think mine was very pronounced) and it helped the consultants to care for me and my baby.

I did have a manual removal of placenta, as during the managed third stage, the cord snapped. I'd had a spinal block so I couldn't feel a thing and don't remember much of it at all. All I remember was having a squawking, beautiful baby put on my chest a few minutes later, which eclipsed all of the other stuff going on!

There were after effects though, as I'd lost quite a bit of blood, so I had to stay in hospital for a few days after delivery and was discharged with lots of pills! (antibiotics for the MROP, Iron for the blood loss and painkillers). I was very able to breastfeed though and was well supported.

I had great care and I understand there were other complications. It was a bit tricky at times, but my baby is happy, healthy and lovely. The consultant suggested that I would have consultant-led care for any future pregnancy.

[Njco]

Hi ladies, this is my first post on mumsnet, but after all of the positive stories I have read, I wanted to share my story.
I have just been for a scan and told that I have a bicornuate uterus. I am 37, and have been ttc since January this year. Looking on the web there are so many different things written about it, and I just wanted some reassurance that it is not the end of the world, and that a healthy pregnancy is possible.
We are now starting to explore the possibility of ivf to see if this would be a good option for us.
I work in a very stressful job, so am concerned that this condition will be worsened by it, or might make going full term harder.
I now feel like the odds are stacked against me, and wanted to hear if anybody else is or has been in a similar situation.

[AmberLeaf]

Hi I have one too!

Mine doesn't have a dividing septum.

It was found during an early scan in my 2nd pregnancy.

I have had 2 MCs [early]

It's not really caused problems, although my babies tend to 'sit' to one side so when they measure the fundal height its too small, to get an accurate measurement would require measuring diagonally. I tend to have a low odd shaped bump too.

My 3rd birth was back to back and he was breech up to about 1 week before he was born.

I was told that what makes a big difference to the outcome is whether or not you have a dividing septum.

[Polkadotfanatic]

Hi there, I just had to post to reassure. I have Uterus Didelphys, there the womb is split into two (two chambers) two cervixes and although they say ''two vaginas'', it is really just a septum running up the middle (think of your nose). I have been told that 70 women in the UK have this. Most of the women in my help group I talk to on FB have troubles conceiving/carrying to term. I, for one, have accepted that I probably wont have a baby as one of my cervixes is blocked and to remove the blockage would be too complicated and result in scar tissue which could impede conception anyone. I am one of the only 31 year olds I know to have never had a smear test as access to either cervix is just not possible...

The reason I am posting, was at first the drs thought it was a bicornate uterus and they reassured me that whilst uncommon, it isnt that rare and that getting pregnant, maintaining pregnancy and having a healthy, full term baby would be absolutely possible. So please be reassured. :) I wish you all the best x PS - I have found the internet a great tool for forums/help and try Facebook too, there is bound to be a group :)

[Polkadotfanatic]

*anyway not anyone doh!

[Wingrose]

Hi everyone, I am 6 weeks pregnant (my first) and I have a heart shaped womb with a division and 2 cervixes. Pre trying for a baby my specialist warned me about the risks of miscarriage and recommended I take progesterone for the first half of my pregnancy. My GP was useless and after reading the letter from this specialist on file which recommended the progesterone referred me to hospital without a prescription. The hospital is taking its time to see me (2 - 4 weeks wait) and I'm scared I should already be taking the hormone in the meantime. Did any of you use this to help prevent miscarriage? I feel a bit scared as I can't discuss this with anyone. Thank you!